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A July 21,1925. 15.16424 W. KELSO I CAR COUPLER Original Filed Jan- 31, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 21,1925. Re.l6,l24

w. KELSO CAR C 0 UPLE'R Original Filed Jar 1. 31, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Reissued July 21, 1925.

q' lyw vm-i may O 67% I Beit knbwn that I, WIL IAM Klinso, a

eitiz en 501 the Unitel States, residixig fat ,Pittsbumlyin theflcoi nty t Alleghli. and ;,State 0f Pennsylvania, have invented eer- G0uplers;., and I do {herebygdeelai e the folldwingv-to-xbe a full,- clear, and'exaetudese 'ip- =ti0n of the ir i venti on, such gas wvillenable 0*otherSskilledinthe art to which itapper- -tains to make'fand'use thef's'ame. I My;inventionirelates to ear eqiiple 's, and particularly to the well known, form termed the -Master Car Builders. st andard D-eoufiipler. While the improvements hereinafter described Eand welaimed are espe eially designed for the itis to beaundel'stodd that saidjimpro've- 'm'ents are 'n0t1lim'ited in their application to-that speeific type. v

The primary object: o'fithe, invent-lends to provide means IEOI'PPI'BVBIItlIlQ' it"he loekli-iter 0f atop bpei'atingrD-eoupler from dnop'ping =t0 a poeitio'n precludingvthe eduplenlbck f-ndm being ebreught to anqunloekedposit n by the COflplGI': release rigging-mechanism pf0videdwf0r1that purpose. a "A ffiirthe'r ibbje'et ofnthe..inventien is to provide simpl and reliable Tmeansj 61' Pre- 0 venting accidental uhloeking of the coupler efficiently operating :in cenjunetion, with means for limiting the extent "to which-the lo'eklifter can d-roip with respect to the -c'0,up'ler lock. 1 r Outward ro'tationdof the knuckle ofthe D-epupler is normallyiiprevented by :a ver 'tie'ally ={sliding a'nd fearwardlymswinging leek. "Y Vh en these-couplers are applied to =freight ears the coupler lock is generally actuated by a litter Inember'movably conne'eted atits lower end the lock and-extending upwardly through the, coupler head seas robe connected t'0 a suitable uncou- *pling rod or release rigging niechahism. When the 'ceupler lock audits lifter are in IiOI'TIifll locked relation the lower end of the lifter prejeets beneath a shouldei' or lock -Vided. This relation 0f the lock lifter to thes'houldel" er lock de wn 'lugbf the 601 pier head is intended to prevent the lock from-accidentall moving upward and as- =sulfiiiig an lnlocked-po'sition. In the D'- edupler 51s *at presenteo'nstmicted the ass!)- WILLIAM KELSO, or PITTSBURGH, ms yfivhumfiassmi bn Jtain; new and i'useful (Improvements in .Ga'r' betterment of the D-ee ipler,

down higwith whiehthe coupler head is pro-' a; mum comxn'z, :017 mwrsnumix, mEnNmvA-iem, m. obfiomwmn mm" 2043 mime. i

eq 'a g n 1.0" I. v ,ha'vu all'dek downfh g whih'fhas en east sho -t v ei has "'beeo'nie :i'ediieed .i "l'eiigth a ip rm h if e'i; 'E' ojd cend .b ibp l ts IIOI'I P% LI iPQSltlQpIPntllitlle triinniens xiiith 'whieh t is 'pifovidedat itsloivgvel; lend-piles 3 9f fih lit er r ceiving i k bi th ef Qlep .11! this 'aiterea pbs'itibn (jig the lifter the eiiplen loc-kpa indt hejaetiizited' a -i hena ieas i i'e dev s ant ewperform; that funetiqn To;@unlodk aft-.01

pl r under si hfl bi itidilsf fi.iS ie sa y 9 i e en lbeti en the [C wh r sh 9 -re@9 the f er. i l hen f -.de b ca-refii' man eul 'tibi td n oif its ;trujnn10ns ,tq proper p o si'tion in the: litter receiving slotgqf thelleekin g blecku :lfifthe lifter cannot. this be ret n'ned; tov hfles'tion permitting it t o. b'e-gpiill ed Ip ast t egleck do 1 23 he uelerah d -an fi y: w cut, t .lknl l i Q ap ti fi if -efi he e plelxcani be ,dis'me tl d- Und mi ar iS d F wt sseq tio w f .ash 00k do l 11g: an a1,e l nilifte ef ei {disconnection of; the nneoujpling .01; aka-lease riggingii qm the fif een-may esultf cafe s n t ken, int p r ifi i fgs h lifte h dr p dowjn int0. the interiei qi (the go'iipler head. In, that case also the dQStIfLlQtiOn fthe k uckle n-aother membe o' fi h .r ie h ii is --;n eeessary beforelth'el coupler pan .-.d aiS 0 etB i 3 1 Byfmy invention the defect incident t0 the presenqe pfi sho t lpckd'e vn lugs qrfijvfprn i e s ;i "th Drcmiple aasi ew 'b stre t ;is obviated and this desirable 'e'su lt; is

achieved withqut neeessitati'ng any speh, fih ge he m f; t e a e-ck m i o t lifter 1 as ,wquld pg-event ipag'ts v of 1 the im Pr e d sig v:fiQm be ng: as mbled w the present standard fo ngoi goii pleit head mi this yp i A Coupl r le k and leek l h embqd ina i t e-J' v nt eh i re thus ca a e of being substituted'for COII BSPQIIdlJigQaItS 'f0f-,:th'e usuale-iqrln. ,1 I

)W m il eked m tiqn he l c Qifi M r Earn-Bu ld r .D-cqnp q iis ifieate iipontm ikmwkl QP iHgZlQY I'I i h -=m sm:- By reaso e e neq l es 9'! j ma uiaqtil fia :oi. Par s .aese bkeelm m4. 9

,lplers, the 1fowe1; -,end;of;the depend ng leg of the coupler lock may assume a p0 t e at t e onwaz dendmfi 1 IIMPPQWQ e P- ,gtom o the1feup1 r+ cad, (8,8 1 s 'at m Re. mm

Figs. 1 and 4; but this leg usually positions itself toward the rear of the opening because the location of the center of gravity of the locking block is in advance of the point at which the lock rests upon the I knuckle opening lever and this naturally causes the depending leg of the lock to as sume a position at the rear of the opening or at some intermediate point thereof. Even where the lower end of the leg of the lock doesnot positionitself at the rear of the openingoflthe coupler head when the device is new, subsequent wear of the parts said leg to assume'a norresults in causin mal lockedpositlon in the rear part of the opening. The freedom of oscillation of the leg of the lock in the opening. of the coupler head tends in'service to induce release of the look from control of the means designed to prevent' an accidental unlocking'of the coupler. As will be readily appreciated, the

"friction existing between 'the pulling faces complete. an: unlocking movement permit- 'of the knuckles of connected car couplers causes the outer ends of the knuckles to .move vertically, with respect to eachother when the cars pass over high or low points of railway tracks. knuckle which bears against the locking block is thus causedto perform vertical movements opposite in direction from those executed by the outer end of the knuckle. Because of'the friction between the knuckle and the lock these movements of the knuckleinduce an upward creeping of the lock of the D-coupler. The ability of the lower part of the leg of the lock to move forward and backward to the extent of its clearance in, the opening" of the coupler head permits a similar movement of the upper part of the lock. Due to the friction between the lock and the lower portion of the lifter, this tends to cause the latter to move or be forced outwardly from beneath the shoulder or lock down lug with which the D-coupler head is provided;'thus enabling the lock to ting accidental outward rotation of the knuckle. This defect of the D-coupler in permitting an accidental unlocking operation of locks which are actuatedby'top operating release mechanism also is remedied by my invention.

In thedrawings illustrating my invention as applied to a 'Master Car Builders stand-h ard 'D-coupler, q

, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a coupler, the lock, knuckle opener, knuckle and 'locklifter being in elevation, the parts being in locked relation and the lower end ofthe leg of the lock being shown as'positioned in the forward. part of the opening through the bottom wall "of the coupler Figure'2is a detail View corresponding to" Fig." 1, portions of the lock being broken The rear part of the formed with vertically away and its depending le being shown as positioned in the rear en of the opening through the bottom wall of the coupler head.

Figure 3 is a detail view, partly in trans verse section and partly in rear elevation, showing a portion of the mechanism.

Figure 4, Figure 5 and Figure 6 are views respectively corresponding to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but illustrating a modification of the invention.

In the drawings, 1 is the coupler head and 2 is the knuckle. The knuckle is rotatably mounted upon the coupler head by means of the usual knuckle pin 3. Outward rotat'ion of the knuckle isfnormally restrained by meansof a locking block 4 having a de pending leg 5 which extends downwardly through an opening 6 in the bottom wall of the coupler head. The lock 4 is capable of sliding vertically and swinging rearwardly in the couplerhead upon being actuated by the lock lifter 7. After the lock 4 has been raised 'sufficiently to withdraw its upper portion from in front of the tail of the knuckle it executes a rearward swinging movement causing itsdepending leg 5 to press rearwardly against the knuckle opening lever 8, thereby effecting a-knuckle throwing rotation of the latter. This knuckle opening member 8, asemployed in the D-coupler, is a horizontally rotatable lever pivotally mounted upon the lower wall of the coupler head, one end of said lever being disposed in the path of rearward movement of the leg 5 of'the lock and its other end extending behind the tail of the knuckle in position to communicate an uncoupling. rotation to thelatter. When in locked position the locking block 4 is supported by the knuckle opening lever 8.

'The lifter 7 is slidably and pivotallyconnected to the lock 4. For this purpose the upper end of the lock has an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot 9 for receiving the lower end of the lifter, the side walls of said slot being provided with guideways or recesses 10 into which oppositely extending p'intles or trunnions 11 of the lifter project and within which said trunnions operate. These guideways are preferably extending faces or shoulders 12'which by engaging the respective trunnions l1 compel the portion of the lifter which normally projects rearwardly beyond the lock 4 to. execute a preliminary upward movement before the lower end of said lifter can be drawn into'the slot 9 of the lock so as to clear the usuallock down lug or shoulder 13 with which the coupler head 1 is provided.- For the purpose of compelling the lower end of the lock lifter 7 to perform a preliminary vertical movement toward the lock down lug 13 before said lifter can be withdrawn from beneath-the I: f Upon" p illing upwardly on the lifter 7.

'-la-tter,;the :lowefend of said :li fter also is 'prferably formed ivith a jdo wnwardly -extending portion or 111g '14 which overlaps -t11e'i-ear i ae of 'thez lock 4;be low the slot 9 therein hen the partsare in normal locked i relation. Afterthelifter 7 gvhas been moved upWaJd sufiiciently with respect to the h;lockf}4 the lug "14 is adapted to enter the slot- 9, the configuration of *the jlower m wni or. t e latter ib'ein r such that p o V 'fclearance for said :lug is; afforded when -the lock'Tand lifter execute their relative turning --1n;ojv@ip1its during the knuckle opening '7 T0 maintain-the lifter 7 T in such relation m-tliat it is capable of actuating 'the lock 4 notwithstanding that' the lock down =li'1g 13 I he of decreased length or the lifter v rna'y' have been considerably 'W ornin servv -ice, :rnean s areprovided-;for liIni-ting the-exfitentto which theilower end of end lifter project rearwva rdly heyondsaid dug; llhes nifans' afe" preferably {provided by fo rrfiin lock 4 jupon' one side of itsslo't a or lug 1 5 adaptedtoen gage a neighboring trunnion llfithusjaf .fording a ,sto arresting downward inovemenu-f th' li-fter'7'heyond proper norits" ldWer' endhrnoves vertically -toivard the "lo'ckidoivn lug '13 until the trunnions 11 'irfeach tlienpfier ends of the faces l of their g' iidewvay's 10 land the lower end 14 offlthe f res? in position to pass intothe slot 9- of the"lock. "After this 'prelimjnar y movement the 'continiied ur ii vd fpull upon the lifter causesfits lowei lend -to' be retracted ing it from beneath thelock down lug orslioiildr 1B and thereby releasing 'the'ilocl'i- 0m ns; 'perfoi'n i an unlocking movement. soon as the" trunnions 11 "reach the upper ends ,of'thein-guideways Y int lie "side vvallis'oo'flthe'locli the raising of the lifter causes the lock to. nove vertically t m e e knjqe i 211's nnilqck df It the knuckle 'i's vifree to "rotate a continued up d null upon the lif terW causes" a rearard "svin gin g of tl ie dependingl eg' fi of the lock result ng in the well knotvn knuckle operation "the lrniickle opening e r 1, W a In the modified form of the invention il-; lustrated' 4,".5a'nd Gthe lower end 7 lock lifter may be withdril ivn from beneath the lock of the coupler. head'ivithoutfirst perforifning a preliminary vertical inov'enient to'ivard said 'Inthi's constrii ction fhe" guide'xvays 16 of the lock I17 j r.1' ;ving "t lietr'unnions 11 of the "lifter "it? are so forrnedthat an i pivard pull iiphn the' upgr endof the lifter 18 causes its lower irm'riediatelv to initiatefa' re- "tractileffmotinentinto th'edifir receiving :slot =19 0f the lock, such movement 1 being permitted not only by reason of1the= absence of shoulders :12 for engaging the-trunnions of theslifter 1 8, bi1t.also because said lifter gis' unprovided with v any part corresponding in: forrnjoiaifunction to lithe lug l4cflzwith :which the structure heretofore described. is

furnished. :DoWnward movement of :the

lifter'l8mwith respect to the lock 17 is limited by the engagement of one of ,the

tr-unnions of said 'l'li'fter with the I Wall :01

' stop lug I 15 With which: *the dock .is pro- -vided.- EXceptfor the diiferencesreferred to the: device illustrated in Figs. 4,6 and 6 is "preferably the same in construction as that disclosed in Figs. i1, 2eand 3 heretofore described; :and accordingly similar -partsghave been identified by 1 corresponding reference numerals.

i 1 In-aoar coupler, the'icombination-iwith a coupler head, knuckle, and vertically movable lock for said knuckle, ofwa lifter -for actuating said lock, said lifter being operatively connected to :said lock so ias to :be slida'bly and pivotally niovable' with respect thereto, :said head-being "provided with a sh'oulderadaptedto engage'the lower end of said-lifter to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, .athe lower end 01. said sli'ft'er :be-

ingadapted to 1 project beyond said lock beneath said Sl-lOfllQlE-lj, said lock being formed fWith-e slot for receiving-said lifter which opensnpwa'rdly and alsof opens throughone of the sides of said *lock, said-lifter being providedfiwith means forengagingsaid lock t'o prevent said -li fte-r :from being withdrawn from beneath said shoulder un til after it has executed a preliminary movement to Ward said shoulder, and said 'lockand lifter being-provided with cooperating; means :for limitin the extent to which the lower end of said 'lifter' "may project beyond said lock.

2 In a ear coupler, the combination with 1 a coupler head, knuckle and vertically sliding and rearwardly swinging lock for said kn uekle ofa lifterfo'ractuating said lock, said head being provided- -With ,a --'shoulder adaptedto engage the flOW-QI end of said lifter" to prevent accidental-unlocking of said look; said lifter being furnishedwith oppositely extending trunnions and its lower end beingadaptedto .pr'ojec't beyond said lock beneath said shoulder, and. said lifter also having a do wnwardly projecting lug which n'orma11yvover'1aps said lock to prevent said li=liter"from being Withdrawn from beneath sai'd'shoulder until after lit has executed a p reli-rn inary movement toward said shoulder, and-said: lock being provided with an upwardly'and reai'wardly opening slot forre- Qceivi-ng'gf Said" li-ftei'f anc l-v having guideways rfespetivelvcooperating with said trunand also being {provided with a lug for en aging one *ofsat-id trunnion's to limit downward movement of said lifter with respect to said lock.

3. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, knuckle, and vertically sliding and rearwardly swinging lock for said knuckle, of a lifter for actuating said lock, said lifter being formed with oppositely extending trunnions, said lock being provided at its upper end with an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot whose side walls are formed with guideways for receiving trunnions carried by said lifter, said lock being provided at one side of said slot with beneath said shoulder.

' 4. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, knuckle, and vertically sllding and rearwardly swinging lock for said knuckle, of a lifter for actuating said lock,

said lock being provided at its upper end with an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot, said lifter being'slidably and rotatably movable in said slot and having oppositely extending trunnions projecting into guidevways formed in opposite walls of said slot,

said lock being provided at one side of said slot with alug adapted to engage one of said trunnions to limit rearward movement of the lower end of said lifter with respect to said lock, one of said guideways being formed intermediate its ends with a shoulder adapted to engage the adjacent trunnion to compel the lower end of said lifter to execute a preliminary upward movement before actuating said lock, said head being provided with a shoulder adapted to engage. the lower end of said lifter to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, and the lower end of said lifter being adapted to project beyond said lock beneath said shoulder.

5. In a. car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, knuckle, and vertically sliding and rearwardly swinging lock for said knuckle, of a lifter for actuating said -lock, said head being provided with a shoulder adapted to engage the lower end of said lifter to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, said lock-being provided: at its upper end with an upwardly and'rearwardly opening slot, said lifter being slid-v ably and rotatably movable in said slot and having a downwardly projecting lug which normally overlapssaid lock to prevent said lifter from being withdrawn from beneath said shoulder until after it has executed a preliminary movement toward said shoulder,

and the lower-W l of id la b ing m d with a recess allowing rotary movement of said pro ecting lug after'it has been retracted into said slot.

, 6.. In a car, coupler, the combination with a coupler head,.knuckle, a knuckle opening lever, and a gravity actuated lock for said knuckle adapted to swing rearwardly so as to engage and actuate said knuckle opening lever, of a litter for actuating said lock, said head being provided rearwardly of said lock with a shoulder adapted to engage the lower end of said lifter to prevent accidental unlocking of ,said lock, said lock being provided, at its upper end witha slot which opens upwardly and also through the rear face of said lock, said lifter being slidably and rotatably movable in said slot and its lower end being adapted to project rearwardly through said slot so as to extend beneath said shoulder when the parts of the coupler are in normal locked relation,

and said lock and litter being provided with cooperating portions adapted to compel the lower end of said lifter to execute a preliminary upward movement toward said shoulder before passing' from beneath the latter.

7. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, knuckle, a knuckle opening lever, and a vertically movable lock for said knuckle adapted to swing rearwardly so as to engage and actuate said knuckle opening lever, of'a lifter for actuating said lock, said head being provided rearwardly of said lock with a shoulder adapted to engage the lower end ofsaid lifter to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, said lifter be ing formed intermediate its ends with oppositely extending trunnions and its lower end being adapted to stand beneath said shoulder when the parts of the coupler are in normal locked relation, said lock being provided at its upper end with an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot whose side walls are formed with guideways for said trunnions, and said lifter being slidably and; rotatably movable in said slot, at least one of said guideways being formed inter mediate its ends with a portion adapted to coact with the adjacent trunnion to compel the lower end of said lifter to execute a preliminary upward movement toward said shoulder before passing from beneath said shoulder. v v

' 8. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, knuckle and vertically movable lock for said knuckle, of a lifter for actuating said lock, said lifter being operatively connected to said look so as to be slidably and pivot-ally movable with respect thereto, said head being provided with a shoulder adapted to engage the lowerend of said lifter to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, the lower end of said lifter being adaptedto project beyond, said lock beneath said shoulder, said lock being formed with a slot for receiving said lifter which opens upwardly and also opens through one of the sides of said lock, means formed on said lock for causing said lifter to execute a preliminary movement toward said shoulder before said lifter is withdrawn from beneath said shoulder, and means on said lock rearwardly of said first named means and cooperating With said lifter for 10 limiting the extent to which the lower end of said lifter may project beyond said look. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM KELSO. 

